Music Labyrinth Episode 003
Track 1
Silver Thunderbird - Marc Cohn and the Blind Boys of Alabama
Welcome to episode 3 of the Music Labyrinth. What we are doing here is groping our way along a trail of music with no map to follow and no destination to seek. Our only guide through this labyrinth is the fact that each song we hear will have some tenuous link to the previous. We began this week where we ended episode 2, with the song Silver Thunderbird from Mark Cohn's 2019 collaboration with the Blind Boys of Alabama. In August 2005, Mark Cohn was touring in Denver, Colorado, when he as shot in the head during an attempted carjacking. Cohn obviously survived the attack, immediately placing him in a tiny subset of people, and an even tinier subset of recording artists who have survived a gunshot injury. Almost 30 years prior to that attack on Mark Cohn, this next artist was shot in the chest and arm at his home. Two days later he appeared on stage and performed a full set, which almost certainly included this classic.
Track 2
No Woman, No Cry (Live) - Bob Marley
On The Music Labyrinth we just heard Bob Marley & The Wailers with No Woman, No Cry, which Rolling Stone Magazine once listed at number 37 on its 500 greatest songs of all time. The live version we just heard was produced in part by Chris Blackwell, and released on Blackwell's label, Island Records. The list of artists who have been signed to Blackwell's label is lengthy and impressive. We could head off in a thousand directions at this point. I've lobbed a dart at that particular board, and have scored a hit on this track released on Island Records in October 2006.
Track 3
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
That was Amy Winehouse and the song, Rehab, from her album Back to Black. The song, and the album, were produced by Amy Winehouse's friend and collaborator, Mark Ronson. Ronson has an impressive CV in the music business, but for our purposes, we're looking at his pedigree. Ronson's step-father is the English musician, Mick Jones, who is perhaps best known as the founding and longest serving member of this next band. And, whilst it might be tempting to discard this song as a classic bit of 80s kitsch, there is a lot to like about it - not least of which is Junior Walker's classic saxophone solo near the end of the track. Keep an ear out for it.
Track 4
Urgent - Foreigner
Urgent was the first single from Foreigner's hugely successful 1981 album 4. The album remained at number 1 on the Billboard album chart for ten weeks across 1981 and 1982. The album had endured a lengthy gestation, largely due to the fastidiousness of its producer, Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Lange has a mass of production credits to his name and was, for a period of time, married to the recording artist Shania Twain. In 2014, Mutt Lange was engaged to produce a concept album for the enormously successful English rock band, Muse. Muse had built a reputation and an enormous world following best recognised by elaborately layered, orchestral electronica. The engagement of Lange was said to be an effort by the band to reduce their focus on production and channel that to performance. The result was a more stripped back sound, which is perfectly represented by this track.
Track 5
Psycho - Muse
On The Music Labyrinth we just listened to Psycho by Muse, from the 2015 album Drones. Around the time of the album's release, Muse embarked on a promotional tour to promote the album. On stage for that tour the three primary members of Muse were supplemented by the addition of Morgan Nicholls. Ten years earlier, Nicholls had contributed to the second album by the World's most successful ever "virtual" band. From that album, and featuring Nicholls, here is Gorillaz with the hypnotically gorgeous Demon Days.
Track 6
Demon Days - Gorillaz
The magnificent album, Demon Days by Gorillaz, was produced by Brian Burton, who records and performs under the stage name Danger Mouse. Burton enjoys an enviable reputation as a producer and musician. When playing at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark, he met up with James Mercer from The Shins, who are a band we have previously encountered in our wanderings in this Labyrinth. Burton and Mercer collaborated on a project which they called Broken Bells, and the first of their two studio albums to date contained this delightful track.
Track 7
The High Road - Broken Bells
From their eponymous 2010 album, that was Broken Bells with The High Road. As mentioned, Broken Bells were formed after James Mercer and Brian Burton met at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2004. Also featured at that festival that year was a band who were, even back then, celebrating their 38th year in the music business. This is Santana, and Batuka.
Track 8
Batuka - Santana
That was Santana, from their highly successful 1971 album, Santana III, and the opening track, Batuka. Santana's highest selling work in the second half of their long career arises from the 1999 album Supernatural, (their 18th! album by the way). The theme of the album was one of collaboration with guest artists, the best remembered of which is probably the song Smooth which was co-written by and featured the vocals of Rob Thomas. Another of Santana's guest collaborators on that album was Dave Matthews. Two years later, Carlos Santana featured on the Dave Matthews Band album, Everyday. To end this episode of The Music Labyrinth, here is the title track from that album.
Track 9
Everyday - Dave Matthews Band
Silver Thunderbird - Marc Cohn and the Blind Boys of Alabama
Welcome to episode 3 of the Music Labyrinth. What we are doing here is groping our way along a trail of music with no map to follow and no destination to seek. Our only guide through this labyrinth is the fact that each song we hear will have some tenuous link to the previous. We began this week where we ended episode 2, with the song Silver Thunderbird from Mark Cohn's 2019 collaboration with the Blind Boys of Alabama. In August 2005, Mark Cohn was touring in Denver, Colorado, when he as shot in the head during an attempted carjacking. Cohn obviously survived the attack, immediately placing him in a tiny subset of people, and an even tinier subset of recording artists who have survived a gunshot injury. Almost 30 years prior to that attack on Mark Cohn, this next artist was shot in the chest and arm at his home. Two days later he appeared on stage and performed a full set, which almost certainly included this classic.
Track 2
No Woman, No Cry (Live) - Bob Marley
On The Music Labyrinth we just heard Bob Marley & The Wailers with No Woman, No Cry, which Rolling Stone Magazine once listed at number 37 on its 500 greatest songs of all time. The live version we just heard was produced in part by Chris Blackwell, and released on Blackwell's label, Island Records. The list of artists who have been signed to Blackwell's label is lengthy and impressive. We could head off in a thousand directions at this point. I've lobbed a dart at that particular board, and have scored a hit on this track released on Island Records in October 2006.
Track 3
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
That was Amy Winehouse and the song, Rehab, from her album Back to Black. The song, and the album, were produced by Amy Winehouse's friend and collaborator, Mark Ronson. Ronson has an impressive CV in the music business, but for our purposes, we're looking at his pedigree. Ronson's step-father is the English musician, Mick Jones, who is perhaps best known as the founding and longest serving member of this next band. And, whilst it might be tempting to discard this song as a classic bit of 80s kitsch, there is a lot to like about it - not least of which is Junior Walker's classic saxophone solo near the end of the track. Keep an ear out for it.
Track 4
Urgent - Foreigner
Urgent was the first single from Foreigner's hugely successful 1981 album 4. The album remained at number 1 on the Billboard album chart for ten weeks across 1981 and 1982. The album had endured a lengthy gestation, largely due to the fastidiousness of its producer, Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Lange has a mass of production credits to his name and was, for a period of time, married to the recording artist Shania Twain. In 2014, Mutt Lange was engaged to produce a concept album for the enormously successful English rock band, Muse. Muse had built a reputation and an enormous world following best recognised by elaborately layered, orchestral electronica. The engagement of Lange was said to be an effort by the band to reduce their focus on production and channel that to performance. The result was a more stripped back sound, which is perfectly represented by this track.
Track 5
Psycho - Muse
On The Music Labyrinth we just listened to Psycho by Muse, from the 2015 album Drones. Around the time of the album's release, Muse embarked on a promotional tour to promote the album. On stage for that tour the three primary members of Muse were supplemented by the addition of Morgan Nicholls. Ten years earlier, Nicholls had contributed to the second album by the World's most successful ever "virtual" band. From that album, and featuring Nicholls, here is Gorillaz with the hypnotically gorgeous Demon Days.
Track 6
Demon Days - Gorillaz
The magnificent album, Demon Days by Gorillaz, was produced by Brian Burton, who records and performs under the stage name Danger Mouse. Burton enjoys an enviable reputation as a producer and musician. When playing at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark, he met up with James Mercer from The Shins, who are a band we have previously encountered in our wanderings in this Labyrinth. Burton and Mercer collaborated on a project which they called Broken Bells, and the first of their two studio albums to date contained this delightful track.
Track 7
The High Road - Broken Bells
From their eponymous 2010 album, that was Broken Bells with The High Road. As mentioned, Broken Bells were formed after James Mercer and Brian Burton met at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2004. Also featured at that festival that year was a band who were, even back then, celebrating their 38th year in the music business. This is Santana, and Batuka.
Track 8
Batuka - Santana
That was Santana, from their highly successful 1971 album, Santana III, and the opening track, Batuka. Santana's highest selling work in the second half of their long career arises from the 1999 album Supernatural, (their 18th! album by the way). The theme of the album was one of collaboration with guest artists, the best remembered of which is probably the song Smooth which was co-written by and featured the vocals of Rob Thomas. Another of Santana's guest collaborators on that album was Dave Matthews. Two years later, Carlos Santana featured on the Dave Matthews Band album, Everyday. To end this episode of The Music Labyrinth, here is the title track from that album.
Track 9
Everyday - Dave Matthews Band